Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice
Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and comorbidity worldwide. High blood pressure and resting heart rate are risk factors (or vital signs) critical to cardiovascular health, patient safety, and medical management. Physiotherapists play a fundamental role in ri...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05696-w |
| _version_ | 1811344028120121344 |
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| author | Agostino Faletra Giuseppe Bellin James Dunning César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Leonardo Pellicciari Fabrizio Brindisino Erasmo Galeno Giacomo Rossettini Filippo Maselli Richard Severin Firas Mourad |
| author_facet | Agostino Faletra Giuseppe Bellin James Dunning César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Leonardo Pellicciari Fabrizio Brindisino Erasmo Galeno Giacomo Rossettini Filippo Maselli Richard Severin Firas Mourad |
| author_sort | Agostino Faletra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and comorbidity worldwide. High blood pressure and resting heart rate are risk factors (or vital signs) critical to cardiovascular health, patient safety, and medical management. Physiotherapists play a fundamental role in risk factor identification, early diagnosis, and subsequent management of cardiovascular disease. To date there is limited research in Europe investigating the level of knowledge and skills possessed by physiotherapists regarding cardiovascular disease screening. Three studies previously observed inadequate vital signs screening behaviors of physiotherapists practicing in the United States and Saudi Arabia. The primary aim of this study was to investigate cardiovascular knowledge and screening practices among Italian physiotherapists, according to the current practice recommendations. Methods A Cross-Sectional Survey was developed adapting two previous surveys. The survey was administered to members of the Italian Physiotherapy Association. Chi squared test, Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis test were used to study differences among subgroups and question responses. Results The required sample size was met with total of 387 Italian physiotherapists completing the survey. 80% consider relevant cardiovascular assessment. However, 72.2% were not familiar to guidelines recommendations and only 50% screen vital signs routinely. Their knowledge of normative blood pressure (high-normal, 16%; hypertension, 12%) and heart rate values (bradycardia, 24%; tachycardia, 26%) were low. Although participants reported being skilled for blood pressure measurement (quite sure, 52%; sure, 27%), their adherence to guidelines is low (baseline measurement on both arm, 25%; 3 repeated measures, 46%). Only 27.8% reported to measure exercise related BP and 21.3% of them understood the concept of exaggerated BP. No significant differences between subgroups were found. Conclusions Our study revealed that a concerning proportion of Italian physiotherapists are not versed in fundamentals of properly performing cardiovascular screenings. This lack of knowledge is present across the profession and may impact on appropriate triage and management. The poorly executed screening has the potential to negatively impact the patient and the practitioner. Given the absence of Italian guidelines, we produced and implemented three infographics for public use, which have the dual objective of raising awareness about this subject and providing practical resources for everyday practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:40:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e76cdbf060634d218fa9c8a7d676fde8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2474 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:40:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders |
| spelling | doaj.art-e76cdbf060634d218fa9c8a7d676fde82022-12-22T02:32:54ZengBMCBMC Musculoskeletal Disorders1471-24742022-08-0123111310.1186/s12891-022-05696-wAssessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practiceAgostino Faletra0Giuseppe Bellin1James Dunning2César Fernández-de-las-Peñas3Leonardo Pellicciari4Fabrizio Brindisino5Erasmo Galeno6Giacomo Rossettini7Filippo Maselli8Richard Severin9Firas Mourad10Clinical Support & Screening Service, Queen Elizabeth HospitalDepartment of Physical Therapy, Centro Diagnostico VenetoAmerican Academy of Manipulative Therapy Fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Physical TherapyDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Universidad Rey Juan CarlosIRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaDepartment of Medicine and Health Science “Vincenzo Tiberio”, University of Molise c/o Cardarelli HospitalDepartment of clinical science and translation medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataSchool of Physiotherapy, University of VeronaDepartment of Human Neurosciences, “Sapienza” University of RomeDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Applied Health SciencesDepartment of Physiotherapy, LUNEX International University of Health, Exercise and SportsAbstract Background Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death and comorbidity worldwide. High blood pressure and resting heart rate are risk factors (or vital signs) critical to cardiovascular health, patient safety, and medical management. Physiotherapists play a fundamental role in risk factor identification, early diagnosis, and subsequent management of cardiovascular disease. To date there is limited research in Europe investigating the level of knowledge and skills possessed by physiotherapists regarding cardiovascular disease screening. Three studies previously observed inadequate vital signs screening behaviors of physiotherapists practicing in the United States and Saudi Arabia. The primary aim of this study was to investigate cardiovascular knowledge and screening practices among Italian physiotherapists, according to the current practice recommendations. Methods A Cross-Sectional Survey was developed adapting two previous surveys. The survey was administered to members of the Italian Physiotherapy Association. Chi squared test, Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis test were used to study differences among subgroups and question responses. Results The required sample size was met with total of 387 Italian physiotherapists completing the survey. 80% consider relevant cardiovascular assessment. However, 72.2% were not familiar to guidelines recommendations and only 50% screen vital signs routinely. Their knowledge of normative blood pressure (high-normal, 16%; hypertension, 12%) and heart rate values (bradycardia, 24%; tachycardia, 26%) were low. Although participants reported being skilled for blood pressure measurement (quite sure, 52%; sure, 27%), their adherence to guidelines is low (baseline measurement on both arm, 25%; 3 repeated measures, 46%). Only 27.8% reported to measure exercise related BP and 21.3% of them understood the concept of exaggerated BP. No significant differences between subgroups were found. Conclusions Our study revealed that a concerning proportion of Italian physiotherapists are not versed in fundamentals of properly performing cardiovascular screenings. This lack of knowledge is present across the profession and may impact on appropriate triage and management. The poorly executed screening has the potential to negatively impact the patient and the practitioner. Given the absence of Italian guidelines, we produced and implemented three infographics for public use, which have the dual objective of raising awareness about this subject and providing practical resources for everyday practice.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05696-wblood pressureheart ratecardiovascular diseasepreventiondifferential diagnosiscardiovascular risk factor |
| spellingShingle | Agostino Faletra Giuseppe Bellin James Dunning César Fernández-de-las-Peñas Leonardo Pellicciari Fabrizio Brindisino Erasmo Galeno Giacomo Rossettini Filippo Maselli Richard Severin Firas Mourad Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders blood pressure heart rate cardiovascular disease prevention differential diagnosis cardiovascular risk factor |
| title | Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice |
| title_full | Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice |
| title_fullStr | Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice |
| title_short | Assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice: findings from a cross-sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice |
| title_sort | assessing cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in physical therapy practice findings from a cross sectional national survey and implication for clinical practice |
| topic | blood pressure heart rate cardiovascular disease prevention differential diagnosis cardiovascular risk factor |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05696-w |
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